South Korea’s 3D printing boom sparks fears of tech leaks to China

Many South Korean companies are turning to 3D printing to cut production costs, using the technology to manufacture products in critical sectors such as aerospace and defense, areas classified as national core technologies. However, some cases involve the use of Chinese-made 3D printers or subcontractors leaking proprietary technologies to China. Critics argue that South Korea’s current registration-based system for operating 3D printing businesses lacks sufficient oversight, leaving the industry vulnerable to security breaches and intellectual property theft.

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Tesla halts Optimus robot production plans as hardware woes mount

Tesla has reportedly paused procurement and production plans for its humanoid robot, Optimus, due to unresolved hardware challenges, according to sources within China’s supply chain network. The temporary suspension comes as Tesla’s engineering team works to refine key technical components. The company intends to resume procurement only after optimizing the robot’s design and confirming a revised mass production schedule.

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With d-Mode GaN, Renesas seeks edge in high-power semiconductor market

Following its acquisition of US-based GaN pioneer Transphorm, Renesas Electronics is ramping up its ambitions in the wide-bandgap power semiconductor space. With a bold pivot away from the crowded fast-charging market for consumer electronics, Renesas is positioning its new generation of GaN products for higher-power applications, including electric vehicles, industrial automation, infrastructure, networking, and even AI servers.

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Japan’s chip tool market to top JPY5 trillion in FY26 amid AI boom

The Japan Semiconductor Equipment Association (SEAJ) has updated its sales forecast for Japanese-made semiconductor manufacturing equipment over the next three fiscal years, projecting a steady increase reaching JPY5.51 trillion (US$38.35 billion) by fiscal 2027. The latest forecast sees modest growth driven primarily by investments in cutting-edge chip technologies and AI-related applications.

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Huawei’s semiconductor matriarch charges forward with dual front: chips and talent

As US-China tech tensions intensify, Huawei is accelerating efforts to achieve technological independence after being added to the US Entity List in 2019. He Tingbo, president of HiSilicon and a central figure in Huawei’s semiconductor strategy, is stepping into a pivotal role. She has been appointed head of Huawei’s Senior Talent Compensation Division, expanding her authority over executive pay and talent development, key pillars in the company’s long-term innovation agenda.

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China-based USI moves upmarket with L10 edge AI server for global clients

Universal Scientific Industrial Shanghai (USI), a China-based electronics design and manufacturing company, has completed delivery of a Level 10 (L10) full-system joint design manufacturing (JDM) project. The lightweight edge AI server, co-developed with a major international client, targets deployment in healthcare, retail, and industrial applications across Europe and North America.

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